The Petshop Chronicles
by Indigo X
Summary: (Total AU.) Very inspired by one of my favorite manga titles, Petshop of Horrors. Mysterious shop proprietor E will sell you the pet of your dreams- just be sure to follow the rules, or else you may wind up with a nightmare. PG-13 for violencelanguage.


Notes: This one's going to be in three parts, y'all... 's based on a manga I've gotten hooked on called 'Pet Shop of Horrors'. I figure you'll all realize who the 'animals' are once you read them, but in case you want to be sure, 'Desire' involves Raven, 'Devotion' has RVD in it, and 'Doggie' is Spike Dudley's tale. (tail?)

As it just so happens, on a particular street in a particular neighborhood in a town that may or may not be far from where you are right now, there was a man who ran a pet shop.

He had no name, or at least, not that he told to his customers. He preferred to be addressed as simply 'E'. E dressed in black all the time, usually a black suit with a black shirt and tie, a black baseball hat resting atop his head. His eyes were shiny and black, and he wore his black hair in a ponytail, threaded through his hat. E was fond of mystery... intrigue, after all, was good for business. And Every Child's Wish, his pet shop, was definitely full of intrigue.

For the pets that E sold... were never common.

**One: Desire**

As it went, one summer afternoon, a young woman strolled into E's shop. E, who was tending to the feeding of his animals, looked up at the ringing of the entrance bell and walked forward to greet her.

"Um, hello... is this Every Child's Wish? The pet store?"

"Why, yes it is, my dear." E grinned charmingly, not because the woman was beautiful (even though she was, a pretty thing with long honey hair and hazel eyes and a very pleasing figure), but because he was exceedingly charming to all who entered his place of business. "What can I do for you today? Is there any particular animal you're interested in?"

"There is, as a matter of fact..." She glanced around, taking in the setup of the shop... the cages were roomy and ornate, and some of the creatures were even allowed to roam free among the great many plants. "I hear that you have rare creatures here, and I was wondering if you could provide me with... a unique bird. A pretty one, preferably one that can sing."

"An excellent choice, miss..."  
  
"McGillicutty. Beulah McGillicutty."

"Miss Beulah, then. Follow me... I think I have what you desire, but this particular species is so rare that I can't possibly keep him on public display." Smiling still, E led the way to a door at the back of the shop, and into the hallway beyond.

The corridor was surprisingly long, and Beulah puzzled over it... the shop didn't seem that large from the outside, after all... and was about to ask about it when E pushed open a door, leading the way into a dark room. "It's a nocturnal species, mainly... too much light isn't good for it. Here, this should help..."

A match flicked to life, and as E lit several candles and the room came into view, Beulah gasped at the creature inside.

For there, half hidden in shadow and glaring out at them, was a black-eyed, beautiful young man with a headful of long auburn curls.

"Mr. E..."  
  
"Just E."

"E, what are you trying to pull here? That's a..."

"A rare bird, as I told you." E whistled softly, and with a soft rustle, the boy came out of the shadow completely, revealing that he had growing from his back a magnificent pair of jet black wings. He fluttered to E's side and glared smolderingly. "A very rare species of raven... not fifty or so left in the world, you see. But I think he would be perfect for you."

"Well, he is beautiful..." Beulah gaped at the raven, who continued eyeing her with his cool ebony gaze. "...can he sing, though?"

"Well, yes... but not until he decides whether or not you are worthy to hear it. But rest assured, he has one of the most beautiful songs of any species of bird."

"Well... let me think..." She couldn't tear her eyes away from the raven. His beautiful hair, the handsome features of his face, the gorgeous wings, the striking eyes, contemptuous as they were... such a lovely and proud creature, and if his song was as lovely as E claimed it was...

She couldn't possibly refuse.

"I'll take him. I have an old greenhouse on my property that would make a good cage for him, I believe."  
  
E nodded with a sly grin and produced a pen and paper from the inside of his coat. "Here, then... if you wish to take the raven home with you, you must sign this contract. It simply states that you must follow these rules specifically... VERY specifically... as pertains to its care. If these rules are broken, I can't be held responsible for anything... unpleasant that may occur."

Taking the pen and paper gingerly, Beulah read it over, and saw that it read the following rules-

Feed him fresh fruit and cool, fresh water. Do not let anyone else see it. NEVER lie to it under any circumstances. 

Lie to it? Hm... the first rule was simple enough, but the second was curious and the third was just bizzare. How in the world would a bird know if it was being lied to? And what reason would she have to be dishonest with it, anyway? Still... they seemed easily enough followed. She signed her name with a flourish, and left with her new pet.  
  
"Enjoy!" E waved amiably, still grinning like a sly fox.

About a week later...

"Oh, come on... please?" Beulah set the basket of apples and pears down and went to approach the raven, whom she had given the name of R-Chan. "Won't you sing at least a little bit, dear?"

But R-Chan only glared at her as contemptuously as he ever had, and flew up into the branches of a small cherry tree. "Nevermore."

Beulah sighed... a week, or even a few days longer, and even though she had adhered to the rules to the last letter, though she was sure to bring R-Chan a variety of fruit to eat, provided him with the freshest spring water, and spent every spare moment in the greenhouse... he still had not sung a note. His cry of 'Nevermore' was the closest she got. It was all he said, and he said it in a voice that, though handsome, was full of bitterness and resentment. He did not offer her ever as much as a smile, or even a nod in greeting, but simply fixed her with his eyes, with an expression of mistrust, contempt, and even, perhaps, immense dislike.

At her wits' end, she went to see E. He poured her a cup of coffee, bade her sit down, and listened as she explained her situation.

"...and no matter how kind I am, he always acts as if he hates me. All he says is 'nevermore', he won't come too close to me, and he gives me such angry looks. I don't know what to do."

E sipped his coffee (black) thoughtfully, and spoke in a soft, earnest tone. "Well, you see, this particular bird has reason to be mistrustful of people. He was treated rather badly by humans in the past. So naturally, it would take him longer to get to trusting you than it normally would. It's only been a week, Miss Beulah. I would advise you to be patient."

"But... but..." She threw her hands up in frustration. "...there has to be something, some way to make him like me, some way to make him sing..."

"Miss Beulah, there's no _making _this bird do anything. If he doesn't trust you, he won't sing, and that's that. I can only think of one surefire way to earn his trust quickly, and that..."

Beulah jumped up, almost spilling her coffee. "What? What way is that, what can I do? Tell me!"

E sighed. "Well, if you look him in the eye, and tell him with the utmost sincerity that you love him, then he'll have no choice _but_ to trust you. But I very, VERY strongly recommend that you not do this. Just have patience, and you'll win him over in time..."

But Beulah was already leaving, an excited gleam in her eye.

"R-Chan?"

Beulah didn't even bother to go inside her house first when she arrived home, choosing instead to head straight back to the greenhouse and search for her pet bird. It seemed like such a crazy idea... whoever heard of professing love to a bird? But then, R-Chan was a very unusual bird...

"Nevermore!" R-Chan cried out sharply, glaring at her from his usual perch in the cherry tree.

Spotting him, Beulah walked toward the tree, causing the bird to flutter up and up and up to the highest branch that would support him... and when Beulah reached up for him, he flew down from the tree altogether, retreating to a shadowy corner... just like Beulah knew he would. Smiling, she approached the cornered raven. He cried out 'nevermore' over and over in a sharp tone, looking for some avenue of escape... and when he swiped out at her with his sharp-taloned hands, she grabbed them firmly.

"R-Chan..." She spoke firmly, gazing into his handsome face. "...I love you."

The change was instantaneous. His expression, just a second before twisted into an expression of taken-aback rage, instantly softened into one of shock and disbelief. Talons dug into her skin released immediately, and his whole frame trembled. "N-nevermore..." It came in a soft whisper, and slowly, he sunk against her, arms winding around her and forehead coming to rest upon her shoulder.

Beulah smiled sweetly, brushing a hand softly through his mane of auburn, then over the softness of his ebony wings. "That's more like it..." Reaching to his chin, she tilted his head up so he was looking her again in the eye. "Now, dear, will you sing for me?"

The expression on R-Chan's face was one of complete adoration and devotion... yet also a heartbreaking helplessness, as if he had no choice but to do as she asked, and _knew_ he had no choice. A slave who was helplessly in love with his captor. He slowly pulled back from her, with all the reluctance of a young child being made to go to bed, sat on a rock, breathed in, and began to sing.  
  
'_The sun burned hot, it burned my eyes,_

Burned so hot I thought I'd died,

Thought I'd died and gone to hell,

Lookin' for the water from a deeper well.'

'I went to the river but the river was dry, 

I fell to my knees an' I looked to the sky,

I looked to the sky and the spring rain fell,

I saw the water from a deeper well.'

'Weee-eee-eeell... lookin' for the water from a deeper well.'  
  
It was the most sad and beautiful sound that Beulah had ever heard in her life. Tears ran down her face, her breathing came hard, her heart pounded in her chest. Oh, no wonder E had boasted about this bird's singing, as everything he said was true, and so much more besides. "Beautiful... just beautiful..."  
  
The bird bowed his head and draped his wings around himself, and made not another sound. The girl left the greenhouse with stars in her eyes and his song in her heart and head.

She worked during the day. He sat on his cherry perch, slept, and ate, and watched for the moment when she would come home. She would enter, he would fly to her and embrace her, calling his cry of 'Nevermore' and peppering her face with the sweetest, peck-like little kisses. She accepted this affection every evening as a mere formality- something she simply had to put up with so she could hear the sweet sound she had all but become addicted to. For see, the moment Beulah's words of love touched his ears, R-Chan had no choice but to believe, and in believing fell desperately for the girl. But the girl had given him her words of love only for one reason- the sweet songs he sang. But the bird was oblivious to that fact... and if he wasn't, he was blatantly ignoring it.  
  
'_I was ready for love I was ready for the money,_

Ready for the blood and ready for the honey,

Ready for the winnin', ready for the bell,

Lookin' for the water from a deeper well.

I found some love and I found some money,

Found that blood would drip from the honey,

Found I had a thirst that I could not quell,

Lookin' for the water from a deeper well.

Weee-eee-eeell... lookin for the water from a deeper well.'

  
  
He would sing, and she would pretend to love. Both were happy, but only one for reasons that were genuine, for only one of them were genuinely getting what they so badly desired. But the lies were and continued to be unbeknownst, and the girl and bird lived quite happily like this for several weeks... until the night the cell phone rang.  
  
R-Chan was lying, head in Beulah's lap, Beulah stroking his hair and wishing that her bird would sing more. The phone rang, Beulah answered, and got up rather quickly.  
  
"Nevermore!" R-Chan chirped in a mildly irritated manner, the closest he would allow himself to being angry at his beloved.  
  
The girl strode to the other end of the greenhouse, and R-Chan listened intently. She sounded happy. Excited.  
  
"Really? When? ...Tomorrow? Yes... yes, I'd love to! It's been far too long... yes, that long." She laughed like a silver bell. "Here, I'll text you my address... yeah. That's the place. Oh, I can hardly wait... I bet you can't. Mmmhmm! Alright. Goodbye, Tommy!"  
  
She skipped up, and the bird held his breath. 

"R-Chan, I'll be home late tomorrow... I'm having dinner with an old friend from college..."  
  
The bird smiled, happy because his love seemed happy, but even then he felt the prickle of jealousy...

She was late. Very late.  
  
R-Chan fluttered worriedly about the greenhouse, at times moodily biting at a peach or pear, calling out sadly to the night in hopes his lost Beulah would answer... oh, hello, what's this? A window was left ajar. Perhaps with a little pushing... yes, that should be enough! Now he could get out... not to run away, of course, but just to get a better look... a bird's eye view, so to speak... of the lay of things. Perhaps he would spy his owner/beloved on her way home!  
  
He wriggled out, and flew... up and up... finally perching in the topmost sturdy branches of a huge elm tree. He watched the road that led along outside the house, as cars drove to and fro, but none was the car he was watching for, the blue one he could see parked from his greenhouse.  
  
He was all but ready to give up and slip back inside to try and get some sleep, but then, he spied it out of the corner of his eye. The car! Beulah was home! His heart thumped with joy, he leaned forward to dive out of the tree and into her waiting arms...  
  
...and stopped short. A man. A man was getting out of the car with Beulah, his Beulah...  
  
...he had short dark hair, this man. Big brown eyes. Facial hair. He was stocky, but handsome. His arms around his Beulah. Pulling his Beulah close. Walking, laughing with his Beulah, towards the greenhouse... stopping... _kissing his Beulah...  
  
"NEVERMORE! NEVERMORE! NEVERMORE!"  
  
_The couple looked around, startled at the loud, raging sound. They were treated to another... oh, the sound that Beulah craved so, but the tone so dark and twisted, raping its own beauty and lacing it with the sweetest poison in the world...  
  
'_Well I did it for **kicks** and I did it for faith_

I did it for lust and I did it for **hate**

I did it for need and I did it for **love**

Addiction stayed on tight like a glove!'

Beulah looked up, and Tommy looked up, and R-Chan looked down, eyes dripping with hurt, and rage, and an instant hate for Tommy as strong... perhaps stronger... as his instant love for Beulah. He held out his arms, the razor-sharp talons on his hands gleaming in the moonlight.  
  
Rage on the bird.  
Terror on the man.  
Shock on the girl.  
  
With a shriek, R-Chan dove at Tommy like a thunderbolt.

'...So I ran with the moon and I ran with the night

And the three of us were a **terrible** sight!

Nipple to the bottle **to the gun to the cell**...'  
  
The talons plunged in. The flesh and muscle tore, bone cracked and split. Tendons ripped with a horrible 'squish' as the bird plucked out the young man's blood-dripping heart, ripped into it with his teeth, and tossed it aside. Blood bubbled from the dead man's mouth, and he fell back onto the grass.

'...To the bottom of a hole of a deeper well.'

There! He had bettered his competition in combat... if that's what it could be called. Heh, the fellow didn't even put up a fight! Hands, mouth, hair, clothes, and wings stained with blood, the bird turned to Beulah hopefully... he still dosen't understand why she tried to choose another in the first place, but maybe that impressed her enough to love him...  
  
She retches, and runs into the house with salt-pale skin. She returns with a handgun.  
  
"You murdering little _BEAST!"_

She shoots. Hits him in the arm. He stands in shock a moment- listen close and you can hear his heart cracking as his bleeding arm drips further crimson onto the grass.  
  
She cocks the hammer again.   
  
Crying out mournfully, he flies away into the moon.  
  
She never sees the bird again.

"Funny thing, love..."  
  
E likes to talk to his animals while he drinks his evening coffee. He says they make better conversationalists than people.  
  
"...I tried to warn her that this species was extremely competitive when it came to mating... tch, poor dear, if only she'd listened to me and stuck to the rules, then maybe that young man'd still be alive. A real pity. Ah, well... she did know the rules when she signed..."  
  
He glances at the paper with a light snicker.  
  
"...and if only she'd had the good sense not to go crying out to the police that her bird killed her old boyfriend while she was waving a handgun around, then maybe she wouldn't be in a psych ward right now. Too bad, too bad..."  
  
E gets up and opens the window to let some fresh night air in, and leans on the sill listening to the wind. Faint, on the wind, a sweet, sweet sad song stirs the hearts and emotions of all who hear it.

'I rocked with the cradle and I rolled with the rage,

I shook those walls and I rattled that cage,

I took my trouble down a dead end trail,

Reachin' out a hand for a holier grail.

Hey there mama, did you carry that load?

Did you tell your baby 'bout the bend in the road?

'Bout the rebel yell, 'bout the one that fell,

Lookin' for the water from a deeper well...

Well... lookin for the water from a deeper well.'  
  
"Tch." E shakes his head. "I should go feed that dolphin..."  
  
_End Story I: Desire._


End file.
